Handheld two-way radio users are familiar and accustomed to using a variety of controls such as knobs, switches and buttons. Such controls on a radio can include for example volume control, channel selection, and squelch control among others. In certain environments, such as public safety environments, users for example firefighters and rescue personnel are often wearing gloves. Handheld radios developed for use in these conditions often provide a wider diameter rotary control—considered to be a more “glovable” control. However, inadvertent or unintentional actuation can become problematic with larger diameter, glovable controls. Consequently, designers attempt to provide large controls for gloved users. However, trying to provide a large button tightly located between other radio controls can be problematic. The issues of actuation, dust and binding are all concerns. For controls such as an emergency control, the users need to be able to easily access the control.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved control button on a handheld radio, particularly a control that can be easily actuated by a gloved user.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.